Tire-armor.



H. C. WILLIS.

TIRE ARMOR. APPLICATION' FILED MAY 18. 1910.

Patented Jan. 24, 1911.

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@www Homfo U .Willis H. C. WILLIS.

l TIRE ARMOR.. APPLICATION FILED H-AY 1 8, 1910.

1 a1e111edJa11I 24, 1911.

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IIIIIIII/a, ,KL-TQ Horatio .Willis A.IIIF'IED STATFPATENI OFFICE.

I-IORATIO C. WILLIS, OF WHITEWRIGHT, TEXAS.

TIRE-ARMOR.

To all whom fit may concern: y

i do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to tires and has special reference to a tire or armor tire for inflatable rubber tires.

One object of the invention is to provide a metallic armor which will take the place of the heavy rubber tread connnonly used outside of the ordinary inner tire.

Another object of the invention is to provide a resilient metallic tire of this description which may be made in a single piece and applied to a wheel in the manner common to ordinary outer tires.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists in general of a troughshaped ring of resilient metal having a series of slits formed therein to provide a series of ground engaging tread members, thewhole being of novel arrangement and construction.

The invention further consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and specifically set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and r-Figure 1 is a side elevation of a Wheel equipped with this tire. Fig. 2 is a section through the Wheel rim and tire. Fig. 3 is a face View of a portion of such a tire. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through a portion of such a tire.

The numeral 10 indicates the wheel rim and on this rim is supported the ordinary stationary ring 11 and removable ring 12, the latter being held in position by means of a tightener 13. Between the stationary ring 11 and removable ring 12 is held the tire whlch consists of a plate of resilientv metal 14 bent to trough-shape and formed as an annulus as is the case with the ordinary tire. This plate 14 has beaded edges 15 which correspond to the beaded edges of the type of tire known as elencher These beaded Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 18, 1910.

Patented J an. 24, 1911.

Serial No. 561,997.

edges serve to hold the tire in place by their engagement with the rings 11 and 12. The plate 14k is provided with a series of slits which extend diagonally of the trough from the center and terminate adjacent to but in spaced relation with the beaded edges l5. These slits are indicated at 16 and it is to be noted that the ends of these slits are widened as at 17 so that those portions of the plate left between the slits, preferably termed the tread members, each consists of a substantially lunate band joined to the body of the tire by means of narrow necks, the band being .indicated at 18 and the necks at 19. After the plate 14 has been thus slit the central portions of the various tread members are drawn out laterally of these members so that one edge of each member overlaps the proximal edge of the next adj acent member while the remaining edge of said member underlies the proximal edge of the adjacent member of the other side. In order to have the metal of uniform thickness it is preferable thatthe plate be made thicker in the center before this drawing operation takes place so that after the tread members have been widened in this manner the thickness will be uniform throughout. lVhen the tire has thus been formed the ends are brought together and connected by Welding, soldering or in any other preferred manner.

Within this tire is held the inner tube 2O which is of any of the ordinary inflatable types. By means of the overlapping construction access to the inner tube is prevented with the consequence that the device is rendered puncture proof.

It is obvious that this tire might be used in connection with the ordinary shoe for the purpose of protecting the same although it is preferred to use the tire with the shoe omitted.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. In a device of the kind described, a metallic plate bent to form an arcuate trough, said trough being provided with spaced slits extending diagonally from the center and terminating short of the edges of said trough whereby is formed a series of ground engag-l ing tread members, said members having their central portions drawn out to lengthen the said portions, whereby the proximal edges of adjacent tread members overlap.

2. A wheel tread comprising a band of metal of trough-shape provided With4 a con portions displaced longitudinally ofthe ban tinuous series of overlapping tread 1ne1nwith reference to their ends. l0 bers integral with said band. i In testimony whereof, I affix my signa- 3. A Wheel tread comprising a band of l ture, in presence of tvvo Witnesses.

metal of trough-shape including a series of l I-IORATIO C. WILLIS. overlapping tread members integral With l Witnesses:

said band, said tread ineinloers extending C. B. BRYANT, transversely of said band With their centrali R H. MAY. 

